2026 American Preseason Previews: Memphis Tigers

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2025 record: 8-5 (4-4 American)

2025 postseason: lost to NC State in Gasparilla Bowl, 31-7

Georgia, Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Iowa, and Memphis.

Those six programs have one thing in common — they are the only six FBS teams that have finished .500+ in all 12 years of the College Football Playoff era. Memphis is an especially unique inclusion in that list, considering the Tigers were a basement dweller that didn’t produce a single winning season from 2008-13. But now winning at Memphis is the expectation. It was established by Justin Fuente, sustained by Mike Norvell, and continued by Ryan Silverfield.

Now, the pressure turns to Charles Huff who took the reins from Silverfield last December. Huff guided Marshall to a Sun Belt championship in 2024 and transformed Southern Miss from 1-11 to 7-5 in his lone year in Hattiesburg. Despite a new face in charge, Memphis seeks similar goals — bowl eligibility for the 13th-straight year and its first American Conference Championship Game appearance since 2019.

The Tigers finished 8-5 last year. At one point, they were 8-1, ranked, and controlled their own destiny for the College Football Playoff. But three consecutive November losses derailed a promising campaign before NC State delivered the knockout punch in the Gasparilla Bowl, ending Memphis’ 4-bowl win streak. However, 2025 results don’t have significant bearing on the 2026 Memphis season, considering 21 of 22 starters were lost. Still, the fanbase has been conditioned to expect success on an annual basis even if Huff is tasked with a massive rebuild.

Staff

The Charles Huff era begins in Memphis. He arrives to his first American Conference head coaching gig with a 39-25 record, qualifying for bowl eligibility in all five years leading a program (four at Marshall, one at Southern Miss). Huff completed a remarkable turnaround at Southern Miss, and the fingerprints of that Golden Eagle team are visible all over Memphis now. Huff brought four assistant coaches (running backs coach/assistant head coach Telly Lockette, wide receivers coach Aaron Dobson, defensive line coach Eric Mathies, and defensive backs coach Dominique Bowman) along with him from Hattiesburg, in addition to 17 transfers.

Huff’s staff also features three new coordinators — Kevin Decker (offensive), Lance Guidry (defensive), and Tim Conner (special teams). Decker engineered Old Dominion’s 14th-ranked yards per game offense last season, allowing the Monarchs to secure their winningest season since joining the FBS at 10-3. In addition to his OC duties, Decker will also serve as the quarterbacks coach. Guidry reunites with Huff after serving as his defensive coordinator at Marshall from 2021-22. He also held a DC role at Miami (FL) in 2023-24, leading the Hurricanes to the 12th-best run defense in 2023 and 6th-best run defense in 2024. Conner spent the last three seasons as Cincinnati’s assistant special teams coach and takes on his first coordinator gig in Memphis.

Other new staffers include co-offensive coordinator/tight ends coach David Weeks (held same position at Old Dominion from 2024-25), offensive line coach Andy Kwon (held same position at UCLA in 2025), and defensive backs/cornerbacks coach Tim Duffie (spent 13 seasons coaching cornerbacks and safeties at Oklahoma State).

Offense

• Key arrivals: QB Marcus Stokes, QB Air Noland, RB Dallan Hayden, RB Manny Covey, RB Jaylin Carter, WR Tychaun Chapman, WR Terrell Timmons Jr., TE Hunter Tipton, C Koby Keenum, G Skyler Grant, G Maarten Woudsma, G Brian Grant, OT Riley McGehee, OT Aaron Karas, OT Carde Smith
• Key departures: QB Brendon Lewis, QB AJ Hill, QB Arrington Maiden, RB Sutton Smith, RB Greg Desrosiers Jr., RB Frank Peasant, WR Cortez Braham Jr., WR Jamari Hawkins, WR Marcello Bussey, TE Christian Ross, TE Matt Adcock, C Yakiri Walker, G Malachi Breland, OT Travis Burke, OT Chris Adams
• Key incumbents: WR Brady Kluse, G Parker Mitchell

Talk about a total reset: Memphis lost 99.5 percent of passing production, 100 percent of rushing production, 88.5 percent of receiving production, and 80 percent of offensive line starts. Coaching changes can completely revamp rosters, but the Tigers got an extreme makeover. Even the key backups at most positions left in the portal, causing Charles Huff to rely heavily on transfers to rebuild the offense.

Few American programs have enjoyed more sustained quarterback success than Memphis. From 2014-24, the Tigers watched an impressive line of succession that included Paxton Lynch, Riley Ferguson, Brady White, and Seth Henigan. Last year featured Brendon Lewis as the starter and Arrington Maiden and AJ Hill as promising backups. However, Lewis exhausted his eligibility and both backups transferred, causing the Tigers to start anew at the quarterback.

Fall camp will feature a 2-man quarterback battle between Marcus Stokes and Air Noland. Stokes, a former Penn State commit in 2022, excelled at the Division II level. He was a finalist for Harlon Hill Trophy (the Division II Heisman equivalent) after delivering 3,297 passing yards, 30 passing touchdowns, 13 interceptions, and 367 rushing yards at West Florida. Meanwhile, Noland arrives to Memphis after one season at Ohio State and one season at South Carolina. The former 4-star recruit enters with minimal game experience, totaling three passing attempts and one rushing attempt across two collegiate seasons — hoping Memphis serves as his land of opportunity.

Not a single rushing yard returns to the offense. The Tigers have cycled through great running back talent over the years, and there could be some gems in this refurbished room. Dallan Hayden once started in the College Football Playoff for Ohio State, tallying 553 rushing yards and five touchdowns for the Buckeyes in 2022. After preserving a redshirt in 2023, Hayden transferred to Colorado and earned substantial playing time with the Buffaloes. As the No. 1 candidate for the lead back role, Hayden arrives to Memphis equipped with career totals of 1,185 rushing yards, eight rushing touchdowns, and 168 receiving yards. He’ll be supplemented by Manny Covey (198 rushing yards on a 7.1 average at Cincinnati in 2025) and Jaylin Carter (166 rushing yards and 133 receiving yards at Southern Miss in 2025), giving the Tigers a formidable trio in 2026.

The receiving corps returns Brady Kluse, who ranked fourth on the roster in receiving yards (270) and fifth in receptions (22) in 2025. Additionally, Bryce Dorsey should see an exponentially larger role after corralling eight receptions for 69 yards in his redshirt freshman campaign. New additions to this group include Tychaun Chapman (Southern Miss) and Terrell Timmons Jr. (Colorado). Chapman was the Golden Eagles’ third-leading receiver in 2025 with 448 receiving yards, and he brings big-play potential to this offense after averaging 17.9 yards per catch. Timmons suited up multiple years for both NC State and Colorado, earning three starts and racking up 354 receiving yards along the way. Another intriguing transfer receiver is Stonka Burnside, a converted safety from Mississippi State. He has extensive high school experience on offense, earning first team all-state honors at receiver in 2023 — a key factor which labeled him as a 4-star athlete coming out of Starkville High School.

Another essential component of Memphis’ receiving corps is former Middle Tennessee tight end Hunter Tipton, who posted 411 receiving yards and two touchdowns for the Blue Raiders last fall.

Memphis returns exactly one offensive starter, and that’s right guard Parker Mitchell. They’ll surround Mitchell with veterans including former Old Dominion guards Skyler Grant and Maarten Woudsma and offensive tackles Riley McGehee (Arkansas State) and Aaron Karas (Colorado State). All four of these players started 100 percent of games at their previous stops in 2025. Carde Smith (Colorado), Brian Grant (Tennessee), and Koby Keenum (Mississippi State) are other incoming o-line transfers that could also be up for starting roles in fall camp.

Defense

• Key arrivals: DE J’Mond Tapp, DE Jabari Ishmael, DE Joseph Head Jr., DT Jaden McKinney, DT J’Mari Monette, DT K.J. Miles, ILB Michael Montgomery, OLB Trey McDonald, OLB Jayden Parrish, CB Anthony Richard Jr., FS Ian Foster, FS Dylan King, SS Ahmere Foster, SS Dylan Smith
• Key departures: DE William Whitlow Jr., DE Jalen Bell, DT Pooda Walker, ILB Sam Brumfield, OLB Drue Watts, OLB Everett Roussaw Jr., OLB Crews Law, CB Omarion Cooper, CB Jaidyn Denis, FS Chris Bracy, FS Jeremiah Jordan, SS Chris Bracy, SS DeMarco Ward
• Key incumbents: DT Taylor Burton, ILB Donovan Mathena, CB Chauncey Logan Jr.

Memphis’ 2026 defense is completely unrecognizable compared to the 2025 unit. The team lost each of its top 15 tacklers including four all-conference selections. Cornerback Chauncey Logan Jr. ranked 16th on the team with 13 tackles in five appearances (three starts), and he’s the most seasoned incumbent on the roster. Defensive tackle Taylor Burton also started multiple games last year and produced 12 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.

In total, there were 26 Memphis players that registered at least three tackles in 2025. Only Logan and Burton remain on the roster. No other defender that started a single game is back. That’s where the transfer portal comes into play.

Of the 17 Southern Miss transfers following Huff to Memphis, 13 are on the defensive side of the ball, and six started at least six contests in 2025. J’Mond Tapp (70 tackles, 12.0 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks) and Jabari Ishmael (20 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks) were the Golden Eagles’ starting defensive ends. Ian Foster (72 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, 7 pass breakups) and Ahmere Foster (47 tackles, 3 interceptions, 2 pass breakups) were the Golden Eagles’ starting safeties. Middle linebacker Michael Montgomery (105 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, 2 interceptions) and cornerback Anthony Richard Jr. (31 tackles, 2 interceptions, 8 pass breakups) were the other Southern Miss starters that made the offseason move.

Other former Golden Eagles that could crack the starting lineup include defensive tackle Jaden McKinney and free safety Dylan King, who produced an identical 27 tackles in full-time reserve roles last season. Given the sheer amount of Southern Miss transplants on the defensive side of the ball, there should be solid chemistry within the unit prior to the season opener at UNLV.

Transfers should comprise the majority of Memphis’ defensive two-deep, and there are potential starters from other destinations throughout the unit as well. The line beefs up with defensive end Joseph Head Jr. (Mississippi State) and J’Mari Monette (Indiana) who combine for 37 appearances and 23 career tackles, as well as 6’3″, 360 pound defensive tackle Devan Lowe (Georgia Southern) who started six games in Sun Belt country in 2025. The linebacking corps restocks with Trey McDonald (Virginia) and Jayden Parrish (Florida State) from the ACC. McDonald logged 58 tackles, 2.5 TFL, and an interception as a 5-game starter in 2024, while Parrish accumulated three tackles in his redshirt freshman campaign in Tallahassee last season.

Of the non-Southern Miss transfers, the most experienced is strong safety Dylan Smith, who started 16 games and tallied 75 tackles and two interceptions at Oklahoma State. Also in the secondary resides Memphis’ top FCS transfer in cornerback Ellis Ellis Jr.. The fifth-year senior from Austin Peay warranted first team all-conference honors last year in the UAC after a season with 48 tackles and eight pass breakups.

In summary, that’s a ton of moving parts that must gel together. The Southern Miss influence is strong, and the Golden Eagles’ defense ranked 84th in points allowed per game and 101st in yards allowed per game (98th in rushing, 86th in passing). However, the unit was renowned for its havoc, forcing 29 takeaways to rank fourth in the FBS — checking in atop the FBS with 23 interceptions. Memphis hopes that takeaway culture translates but also aims to find a more sustainable way of generating routine stops in 2026.

Special Teams

• Key arrivals: K Philippe Laforge, P Harrison Tuck, KR Alante Brown, PR Manny Covey, LS Weston Simmons
• Key departures: K Gianni Spetic, P Lachlan Carrigan, KR Greg Desrosiers Jr., KR/PR Sutton Smith
• Key incumbents: N/A

It’s a full reset for Memphis’ special teams which loses its kicker, punter, and every single player that fielded a kickoff or punt return in 2025.

There isn’t much kicking experience on this roster. Oliver Castaneda enters his third year with the program but has yet to attempt an extra point or field goal. Memphis brought in Philippe Laforge from Coastal Carolina, and he arrives with two field goal makes on four attempts. All four of Laforge’s attempts with Coastal were 47 yards and beyond, and he drilled kicks from 47 and 51 while missing tries from 48 and 56. Given his range and experience, he enters fall camp as the favorite to win the job.

Harrison Tuck is the lone punter on the roster. He served as FCS Alabama State’s starting punter for three years, averaging a career-best 41.9 yards per attempt in 2025 with a long of 64.

Memphis possesses experience in the return game thanks to the transfer portal class. Alante Brown returned 33 kickoffs in six years at Nebraska and Michigan State for 630 yards. In his most recent outing last November, Brown housed a 92-yard kickoff for his first special teams touchdown — a significant play that contributed to Michigan State’s lone Big Ten win of the season. From a punt return standpoint, the Tigers are in good hands with Manny Covey, who reunites with special teams coordinator Tim Conner. The running back returned 16 punts for 156 yards at Cincinnati in 2025 with a long of 57, and he could very well secure that role in Memphis.

Schedule and outlook

* denotes non-conference game

There is a wide range of outcomes for Memphis Tigers football in 2026. It’s hard to predict the outlook of a team with a brand new staff which is primarily built from the transfer portal. Yes, there are plenty of remnants from the 2025 Southern Miss team that finished 7-6 under Charles Huff, but there are also key additions from other programs ranging from Ohio State to Old Dominion to Colorado to Mississippi State.

Figuring out the quarterback position — whether it’s Marcus Stokes or Air Noland — will be essential, but Memphis does not have the luxury of a tune-up game to determine a starter. Instead, the Tigers have an early start to the season with their first-ever Week 0 appearance, taking on reigning Mountain West runner-up UNLV on the road at Allegiant Stadium. Plenty of eyes will be on Huff and the Tigers during that primetime FOX matchup, so it’s essential Memphis makes a good impression.

Not only do the Tigers face a Mountain West contender on the road in non-conference play. Two weeks later, they travel to Boise State to battle the Pac-12 frontrunner. Both matchups come with high stakes for Memphis and for the American Conference as a whole. While no FBS conference receives an automatic College Football Playoff bid, the Mountain West and Pac-12 are likely among the American’s main competitors for a spot. Thus, victories over programs like UNLV and Boise State could prove valuable should conference champions from those leagues end up competing with the American champion for a CFP berth.

Conference play won’t be a cakewalk for Memphis. The Tigers face both service academies, in addition to three other programs that produce 9+ wins in 2025 (Tulane, East Carolina, and South Florida). Three of those five matchups will be on the road. Overall, it’s a challenging slate for Charles Huff and a revamped Memphis program. The ceiling is high if the roster gels together quickly, but there is enough volatility to wonder if the Tigers’ 12-year bowl eligibility streak remains intact. Time will tell if Memphis’ winning tradition sustains through another coaching regime.

2026 American Conference preseason previews:

Army, Charlotte, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Memphis

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